Tag Archives: sexual harassment myths

You probably hear the words “sexual harassment” more often today than you have in decades. The recent outpouring of activism and support for victims of sexual harassment has been deeply meaningful to millions. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of confusion surrounding sexual harassment law and what behavior is considered sexual harassment. The following are the most common misconceptions about sexual harassment.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what different sex crimes are called. This is partially due to some phrases being used casually and partially due to variances between different states’ terminology. Sexual harassment, as it pertains to the law, can only happen in a work or school environment. A construction worker who catcalls a passerby may be acting in an unacceptable way, but this is not technically sexual harassment.

Myth 2: Only Women Are Victims of Sexual Harassment

Recently, singer Mariah Carey settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with her former manager, who is also a woman. The former manager alleged that Carey was often nude around her and that she felt uncomfortable. This is just one of many sexual lawsuits brought against women every year. Both men and women can be victims and perpetrators of sexual harassment.